By Callum Keown
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European stocks started the new year with a rally on Thursday as trade optimism continued and China’s central bank gave markets a boost.
The Stoxx 600 /zigman2/quotes/210599654/delayed XX:SXXP +1.68% jumped 1%, along with the FTSE 100 /zigman2/quotes/210598409/delayed UK:UKX +1.71% , while the French CAC /zigman2/quotes/210597958/delayed FR:PX1 +2.41% climbed 1.4% in early trading. The German DAX /zigman2/quotes/210597999/delayed DX:DAX +2.04% gained 1.1% and Italy’s FTSE MIB /zigman2/quotes/210598024/delayed IT:I945 +2.84% rose 1.4% on the first day’s trading of 2020.
U.S. stocks followed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average /zigman2/quotes/210598065/realtime DJIA -0.38% , the S&P 500 /zigman2/quotes/210599714/realtime SPX -0.80% and the Nasdaq Composite /zigman2/quotes/210598365/realtime COMP -1.69% all hitting fresh record highs shortly after the open.
What’s moving the markets?
After a strong end to 2019 followed by the New Year’s holiday, renewed optimism over a U.S.-China trade deal helped propel European stocks higher on the first day of 2020 trading. President Trump also plans to visit Beijing to begin talks on a ‘phase 2’ deal, while ‘phase 1’ will be signed in a White House ceremony on Jan.15.
China’s central bank added to the feel-good factor, announcing on Wednesday it would cut the amount of money banks will be required to have on hand from Monday - in a bid to boost the slowing economy. The reserve requirement ratio will be cut by 50 basis points, which is expected to release about 800 billion yuan ($114.6 billion) into the economy.
Which stocks are active?
Tullow Oil /zigman2/quotes/205079109/delayed UK:TLW +0.95% fell 8% after the company said it found four metres of net oil pay at its offshore Guyana well, which was less than expected. The oil and gas company said the Carapa-1 exploration well, drilled to a depth of 3,290 metres in 68 metres of water, would now be plugged and abandoned.
Airbus /zigman2/quotes/208224336/delayed FR:AIR +5.72% shares rose 2.6% after reports the European plane maker beat its own delivery forecast for 2019 to topple U.S. rival Boeing /zigman2/quotes/208579720/composite BA +0.40% as the world’s largest plane maker. Airbus delivered 863 jets last year, Reuters reported, 3 higher than its guidance.
Mining stocks enjoyed solid gains following China’s RRR cut announcement. The policy news from the world’s largest metals consumer, sent Glencore /zigman2/quotes/201400686/delayed UK:GLEN +3.53% shares up 2.8% and Antofagasta /zigman2/quotes/200173667/delayed UK:ANTO +1.55% 3.1% higher.
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